-LRB- CNN -RRB- Manchester City and Ivory Coast football star Yaya Toure has called on the media to be more respectful in its attitude towards religion after the Charlie Hebdo attack .

Twelve people were killed by brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi at the French satirical magazine 's offices last week , with the gunmen reportedly yelling , `` We have avenged the Prophet '' while carrying out the attack .

While Toure -- a Muslim himself -- advocates freedom of speech , he feels news outlets also have responsibilities .

`` As a Muslim I always believe in the way people can say what they want to say , '' he told CNN 's Amanda Davies .

`` But for me , the most important thing is that we know something that sometimes the newspaper is doing a lot -- and they 're trying to do too much , and sometimes they do it not with respect . ''

`` Everybody has his point of view -- everybody has something to say about that , '' Toure added . `` Of course it 's a newspaper trying to say something . But sometimes it hurts people . ''

Depicting Mohammed is offensive to many Muslims and the magazine 's past cartoons of the prophet apparently motivated the attackers in last week 's slaughter .

The City midfielder says he was disappointed to hear of the attack on Charlie Hebdo -- and he now fears for the safety of his Muslim friends in the French capital .

Currently on international duty with Ivory Coast ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations which begins this week , Toure spent a season playing in the French Ligue 1 with Monaco in 2006-07 .

`` When you hear something like that it 's a bit disappointing , '' he said , referring to the attack on the Charlie Hebdo office . `` I feel very sorry for the families -- they lost their friend , father , or their husband , you know .

`` Of course I have a friend in Paris , I have people who I work with . You get a bit confused , a bit afraid , because , as a Muslim , I have a friend and they are Muslim as well and I 'm afraid of what is going to happen . ''

The latest Charlie Hebdo issue has also been highly controversial , largely because on its cover is an illustration of a tearful Prophet Mohammed , holding up an `` I am Charlie '' sign accompanied by the words `` All is forgiven . ''

The new cover was met with mixed emotions -- with some calling it a bold example of free speech and others criticizing it as needlessly offensive to Muslims .

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Yaya Toure believes newspapers must depict religion in a more respectful way

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Toure fears for the safety of his Muslim friends in Paris

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The Manchester City midfielder is currently with Ivory Coast ahead of the Africa Nations Cup